Despite fear and anger, Olympic spirit prevails

ATLANTA (CNN) -- Hours after a deadly bomb shattered the
festive mood at Centennial Olympic Park, the Olympic Games
continued Saturday -- but at a slower and more somber pace.

Despite the planting of the bomb that killed one person and
injured more than 110 others, the crowds were still large,
the ticket sellers were wheeling and dealing and the souvenir
vendors were finding willing customers.

With rainstorms and security delays at several venues, it was
hard to determine whether the bomb had had any impact on
Games attendance. The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic
Games estimated most venues Saturday were about 90 percent
full.

But the faces, smiling and animated on Friday, were more
somber on Saturday -- the day of the bombing.

"I am really nervous, but I will go because I don't want to
let this man or woman, whoever has done it, win," said
Kerstin Hoppe, an Olympic visitor.

"This is an event where the human community is supposed to
come together, and when you hear about an incident like that,
it really saddens me. I mean, I got on the bus and I just
felt sad," another visitor, Beth Crary, said.

Bombing prompts anger, shock

The park was barricaded Saturday while investigators searched
for leads and any other possible explosive devices. At
Olympic Stadium, about two miles from the park, spectators
arrived Saturday morning for the second day of track and
field events.

Many were stunned and angry about the bomb but said they were
determined nothing would dampen their Olympic spirit. While
security teams swept the stadium and surrounding grounds,
ticket holders were kept well outside the perimeter. (204K AIFF or WAV sound)

Mounted police and officers from county, state and federal
agencies fanned out -- restricting access to the vicinity
until the search was completed.

Spectators then slowly made their way through heightened
security checkpoints, walking through metal detectors, having
their bags hand-checked.

Were the long lines a frustration Saturday?

"No," one woman said. "They have to do what they have to do
to make sure everyone's safe."

Still, some people were visibly shaken, longing for the days
when this type of fear was far from their thoughts. One woman
started to cry as she described how the bomb robbed her and
others of their enthusiasm for the games. (111K AIFF or WAV sound)

'How quick things change'

Another man at the stadium said the bomb "reminds you how
quick things can change and how unfortunate it is we live in
the world that we do."

One father said while he was determined not to let terrorism
win, a family member was not so brave.

"We'd invited her to come and she was still thinking about
it," he said. " Two of my children came -- but when there was
a bomb, she wasn't coming."

During a moment of silence at the Stadium, the crowd quietly
stood in the rain, their mere presence the strongest
testament to their belief in the Olympic spirit.